In a Year, Child Protective Services Checked Up On 3.2 Million Children
July 22, 2014
2.5 million of those kids were declared 'non-victims.' Another 686,000 were 'abused' or 'neglected.' And an estimated 1,640 kids died as a result.
New Jersey child welfare reform effort sees only incremental progress
July 25, 2014
STATE — While New Jersey's child welfare agency has become a model system in several areas, the state's foster care reform effort has plateaued and needs attention to speed the pace of reform, a national advocacy group said upon the release of the latest report reviewing the state's progress.
Child Abuse And Stress Show Signs Of Altered Gene Expression; Interventions May Help
July 24, 2014
At a young age, children depend on their caregivers for love and support. Those who have that love and support replaced with abuse and neglect, however, grow up in fear, unsure of who they can trust. Some aspects of life become particularly difficult for them, and their risk of partaking in harmful behaviors increases.
University Hosts Foster Youth for Summer Residency
July 23, 2014
Partnership with First Star Greater Washington Academy gives students a preview of college life.
Neglect And The Developing Brain
July 21, 2014
For babies, healthy brain development is like a tennis game. A caregiver "serves" up an interaction, like a facial expression, a coo, or a word, and the infant "returns" that serve, imitating the expression or sound. That "serve and return" is fundamental to developing and refining the tiny brain's wiring, according to Pat Levitt, a developmental neurogeneticist at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, medical school professor at the University of Southern California, and expert on the affects of trauma and neglect on childhood development. He spoke to a group of reporters I was among last week as a USC Annenberg National Health Journalism Fellow.
Preying on the Vulnerable: Foster Youth Face High Risk of Identity Theft
July 2014
Children in foster care are at greater risk of becoming victims of identity theft and entering adulthood with their credit already in shambles, experts say.
The Failures of America’s Foster Care System
July 19, 2014 I worked with the largest county children's welfare services in America for more than a quarter century. For several decades as a licensed therapist in Los Angeles County, I provided mandated therapy to both children as well as young adults were aging out of the child welfare system. Over the years I [...]
‘Alternative response’ is no solution to child abuse [Commentary]
July 17, 2014 Earlier this month, The Baltimore Sun published an important story describing the expansion of Alternative Response (AR) across Maryland ("A new tactic to halt child abuse in Maryland," July 5). The new system assigns child abuse and neglect cases to one of two tiered tracks based upon whether they are deemed low [...]
Alternative response’ is no solution to child abuse [Commentary]
July 17, 2014
Earlier this month, The Baltimore Sun published an important story describing the expansion of Alternative Response (AR) across Maryland ("A new tactic to halt child abuse in Maryland," July 5). The new system assigns child abuse and neglect cases to one of two tiered tracks based upon whether they are deemed low or high risk.
he Department of Children, Youth and Families’ Child Protective Services division reported that more
July 15, 2014
Children with developmental disabilities are at a greater risk for abuse and neglect, according to a study published in Clinical Pediatrics. Study investigators found that parents' unrealistic expectations and lack of empathy for their children's abilities played a significant role in triggering the risk.